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Ottolenghi’s coffee, cardamom and walnut madeleines

If you own a madeleine tin then, chances are, it’s your favourite tin to bake with. Maybe you get a little misty-eyed each time you butter-up those pretty shells thinking about the tiny Parisian store you brought it in on a sunny August day that seems all too long ago now; or maybe you’re just after a sexy little cake to nibble on with your morning coffee – either way, these nutty little guys are for you.

My weekend’s aren’t complete without a trawl through the Guardian recipe section, and Yotam Ottolenghi’s are always inspirational and delicious. Check them out each week here.

ingredients

for the madeleines…

90g unsalted butter, plus extra, melted, to prepare the tin

65g plain flour

60g walnuts

165g icing sugar

60g ground almonds

¾ tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp ground coffee beans

4 egg whites (170g)

50ml espresso coffee

for the syrup…

75ml espresso

40g caster sugar

you will need –a madeleine tin. Mine holds 12 and this mix made two batches. Just remember to re-butter the tin before using again.

Preheat the oven to 160ºC / Gas Mark 3. Next, brush the madeleine shells with melted butter followed by a dusting of flour and then freeze the tin for 5 mins. Repeat this process once more and leave the tin in the freezer until you’re ready to use it. This was a new technique for me and I was surprised at what a difference freezing the tin made. Lesson learned Mr Ottolenghi!

In a small pan, melt the butter and cook it until it turns brown and begins to smell nutty, at this point pour it out into a heat proof bowl and set to one side. Blitz your walnuts in a food processor, or chop them roughly depending on how much texture you’d like in your madeleines.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the flour, icing sugar, ground almonds, baking powder, cardamom, ground coffee, egg whites, espresso, a ¼ tsp of salt and the melted butter into the mixing bowl, and beat until you have a smooth, thin batter. Transfer the batter into a jug and stir through the walnuts.

Almost fill each shell of the madeleine tin with the batter and then bake for 20 mins. The madeleines are done when they spring back to the touch. When they are cool enough to handle, turn them out, shell side up, onto a wire rack.

As the madeleines are cooking, rapidly boil the espresso and sugar in a small pan, until it is reduced and syrupy, this will take around 5 mins. Finally, brush the syrup over the warm madeleines and devour the shiny shells with a well-earned coffee.